A STOCKTON school has been redesignated as a specialist language college for the next four years.

Ian Ramsey CE School, which has been Stockton's Language College for the past four years, has received a Department for Education and Skills grant of £130,000 a year for the next four years, to enhance its language training, allowing all pupils to study two foreign languages.

During the past four years the school has employed native speakers for French, German, Spanish and Urdu.

It has also hosted five Japanese interns.

A languages summer school has been held, bringing together 100 children from France, Germany, Spain and Stockton.

Earlier this year the school won the European Award for Language Teaching.

Deputy headteacher Norman Holmes said: "This is good news for all schools in Stockton. A lot of our bid has been based on community needs and partnership with other schools."